Updates on Things

First thing's first. The sequel to Gods on the Mountain, entitled The Merchant Rebellion, will probably have to be delayed until next year. Don't worry, I'm not going George RR Martin on you. It will be released, and I have been working on it. However, some of the pre-production involved with it (including paying for a cover artist) is going to need to be delayed, since my family and I are in a tight financial situation and are possibly going to transition into a new location.

Second, I'm still working on Mannegishi, and this one will be released, hopefully in August. It's currently being edited, and then I'm going to send it off to a beta reader for feedback. If you follow me on Twitter, I shared the (revised) cover art for it. In case you're brand new to me, here's the cover.

Here's the synopsis I've come up for it:

There is a legend among the Cree of small people known as the Mannegishi. They play pranks on humans. Jonathan Banks ponders if he's experiencing real life Mannegishi, given the strange events that have been happening around his Montana home. However, the pranks begin to get darker and darker. People end up dead. As Jonathan will soon find out, these creatures may not come from Native American folklore.

 They may not even come from Earth.

"Gods on the Mountain" Sequel Announced

To all who read (and I hope loved) Gods on the Mountain, I have excellent news: 2016 will be the year of the release of the sequel to my first fantasy work!

It will feature Edmund the Enchanter and Diane the Dagger Maiden in a new adventure. A few characters from Gods will appear as well, including Celia and Fulk (Celia especially will get a much larger role).

The title of the sequel is The Merchant Rebellion.

The exact release date isn't decided upon yet. I hope to do it mid-to-late year. I still need to finish it, but I have perhaps 20-25% of it done already. Keep posted here and on my Twitter account for updates. Plot description and further details will likewise be posted at a future date.

Why I got into horror

I currently have a fantasy novel out in print and Kindle format. A lot of people have followed me because of my fantasy book, as well as my comments regarding fantasy. I started writing because of my love for fantasy. Most people probably still think of me as a "fantasy author."

Why, then, did I start to dabble in horror? Why have I published a horror novelette, and why do I have a horror novella on the way? A while ago I saw a graph showing the popularity of various book genres. Amazingly enough, horror was listed near the bottom, while fantasy was near the top. The horror niche, while popular, isn't considered popular enough in terms of marketing. Certainly a lot more people have bought Gods on the Mountain than they have Raw Head, even though the latter is cheaper than the former. Clearly, if I want to make money, I should probably push more into the fantasy genre than horror.

The truth is, the reason I got into horror was I wanted to explore ideas and concepts I couldn't with fantasy. I wanted to explore supernatural and perilous elements that would be harder (though not impossible) to do with fantasy. It likewise permits me to explore stories set in our own world. Plus (if I may be excused for using a ten-year old's argument), I just felt like writing in horror.

The wonderful about being an author (especially an indie author) is that you can adapt your writing focus. You're not bound to write this or that. Granted, this can be seen within reason: if your fans want you to write a sequel to a popular book, it might be good to write said sequel; if you're seen as a Christian author, writing violent erotica might shock your fanbase and loose you readers. However, for the most you are completely free to explore and develop your style however you see fit.

And, frankly, authors should be permitted to do so, so long as they do it without looking down on their fanbase or forsaking those who supported and loved them during the early days.

"Gods on the Mountain" Now Available!

As those who follow me on Twitter know, my new fantasy book, "Gods on the Mountain", was released yesterday on print and Kindle, and is available for purchase.

In the mountains of Calambria, the dwarf tribes have disappeared, and merchants have been expelled. Two are assigned to investigate this mystery: Edmund, a human and Magi, gifted with the ability to utilize the elements; and Diane, an elf and Dagger Maiden, who excels in close combat. As they attempt to uncover what has happened, they unearth betrayal and secrets not only from outside the continent, but from within as well. Soon they will discover a plot with dangers that go well beyond the mountains.

Here is the link to the print version.

Here is the link to the Kindle version.

"Gods on the Mountain" Sample Chapter

The following is Chapter 1 from my upcoming fantasy novel Gods on the Mountain, set to be released on April 29, 2015.

Enjoy!

Rules of Magic in Calambria

Last month, I came across an article by Eve Jacob on how to write magical powers. It was a good read that basically emphasized having a system, limitations, rules that can be understood and broken, etc. I've had a lot of questions from the beta-readers for my upcoming book Gods on the Mountain, regarding specifically the use of magic. Because of this, I thought I would take a moment to explain what role magic plays in the book, and within Calambria (the continent on which my book takes place) at large.

The word "magic" is rarely used in regards to special powers, and when it is, it is almost treated by other characters as a kind of slur. The powers themselves involve a manipulation and utilization of natural elements found within the world. This can include the dirt in the ground, or the flame from a fire, but it can also include clothing or metal armor. This is done by either manipulating the elements from their current state, or channeling those elements through your body. The important part here is that elements cannot be created ex nihilo from the caster themselves - it must already exist. Hence, an adapt user of "magic" must be ready to use whatever is available to them at that moment.

Two things should be kept in mind in regards to this: skill level and physical endurance. A magic user cannot simply do whatever he wants, but rather must harness and focus his skill, in the same manner that a juggler needs to practice to keep up (and advance) his abilities. Likewise, a weak magic user is not going to have enough endurance for what he needs to do, whereas a stronger magic user will be able to cast for long periods of time (and as a result, most magic users tend to be physically fit).

One final, and very important, factor to consider is that, in Calambria, magic and spirituality are connected. Magic is not earned through bloodline, nor through simple training (though training to lower levels is possible); rather, the Almighty (Calambria's monotheistic deity) grants "magic" to whom he wills. It is not inherited, but gifted. The major school of magic in the book, the Order of Magi, recruits by seeking out those who have shown, either at an early age or as a young adult, those who exhibit these powers. Of course, what a person chooses to do with these powers is up to them, and can ostracize them from the magic-using community at large, or grant them greater renown. Those outside the Magi who have exhibited powers for good tend to be seen as saints or holy people, while those who exhibited them for evil were seen as morally corrupt. All of this plays an important factor in the main plot for Gods on the Mountain.

Book Trailer: Gods on the Mountain

I know I had previously posted the book teaser, but here now is the book trailer for my upcoming fantasy novel, Gods on the Mountain.


Artwork used in the trailer comes from the book cover itself, which was done by the wonderful artist Mari. Check out her Twitter account and her website! She's a marvelously talented artist!

Title Reveal

Revealed the title for my fantasy work-in-progress today on Twitter. I included the graphic seen at the top of this post. As you can see, the title is Gods on the Mountain, and is tentatively scheduled to be released on April 2. Admittedly this might change if problems develop, however my followers will be notified, and it might at most be pushed back another month or so.

The original title I suggested on Twitter was "Gods of the Mountain." A lot of people liked it, but others didn't. I appreciated the feedback from the latter group, and tried to get my brain to think of alternate titles. All the ones I thought of were equally disliked by others, or just didn't seem to fit the story. I kept returning to my original idea (which I know is generally a creativity no-no), because it seemed to fit the storyline (which I gave a synopsis of here). Without giving too much away, a major point of the story is the role of three gods: one real, one fake, and one supposed. Likewise, this element takes place around events in the mountains of Calambria, the continent where this story takes place.

Work in Progress Update

I recently finished writing the first draft of my Work in Progress. At the moment it's over 150,000 words, and is currently being edited by my wife - a self-professed "Grammar Nazi" who volunteered for the job. She's hoping to be done with it by this week, after which I'll  go through and double check it myself.

Here is a basic summary of the plot:

In the mountains of Calambria, the dwarf tribes have disappeared, and merchants have been expelled. Two are assigned to investigate this mystery: Edmund, a human from the Order of Magi, who are gifted with the ability to utilize the elements; and Diane, an elf from the Sisterhood of Dagger Maidens, who excel in close combat. As they attempt to uncover what has happened, they discover betrayal and secrets not only from outside the continent, but from within as well. Soon they uncover a plot with dangers that will go well beyond the mountains.

After I get done with the editing, I intend to follow the next guideline:

1. Come up with a title for the dang thing (currently working on this while the editing is going on).
2. Send the polished draft to beta readers for further opinions and changes.
3. Design the cover art for Kindle and print.
4. Publish!

My goal is to publish within the beginning of March.

I hope to discuss and explain this further in future blog posts. Please let me know in the comment section if you have any other questions or comments.